Longing
by merc0
Summary: AU. Sokka is a new student at a prestigious high school. As the days go by he tried to assert himself in a new environment where social status is everything. What wil happen when he gains the attention of the social elite? Romance, Sokka/Zuko slash
1. Catherine Saint

**A/N: Hey guys, merc0 here. I'm starting up a new fic, this time set in the real world, revolving around my favorite Avatar boys, Sokka and Zuko. Just a heads up, Sokka's surname is Kopanuk, an Inuit surname. Hope you enjoy this one just as much as you enjoyed Outcasts. Also, I'm thinking of doing another AU story involving Zuko and Sokka in the war. Tell me what you think. Anyway, ON WITH THE STORYTIEM!**

Warmth and darkness enveloped him like a cocoon

Warmth and darkness enveloped him like a cocoon. In that moment, Sokka Kopanuk was content with knowing that, and only that. He was adrift in the sheltered harbor of sleep, and nothing would stir him from his slum-

"SOKKA, GET UP NOW! YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE!" The young Inuit man started from sleep, scared out of his wits by the shrill feminine voice that had pierced the dark curtain of his slumber. At last he saw it, a young dark skinned girl standing at his bedroom door, her face as serious as the grave.

"Alright, alright. I'm up," he muttered dragging himself out of bed. The Inuit boy smacked his lips a few times as he clumsily fumbled around his closet for his school uniform; a hideous vision of maroon velvet weaved into a jacket and pants. The jacket had a gold crest embroidered on it, showing a charging white buffalo on it, the sigil of the school he was to start that day. Along with a white dress shirt with the same sigil, he dragged the suit out, putting it on haphazardly. Mumbling, he put on a pair of shoes and trudged to the bathroom.

Looking at himself in the mirror, Sokka saw the reflection of a dull-faced Native American boy with a tangled mass of hair styled in a traditional Yupik Indian hairstyle. The sides and back of his head were completely shaved, while the top was allowed to grow out long. Taking a hair brush, he quickly and painfully brushed out the tangled mess and pulled it back into a short ponytail.

Leaving the bathroom, he walked into the den of his new home, where his backpack, sister, and father were all waiting on him.

"It's about time!" his sister, Katara, said. "A _snail_ would be faster than you!"

"Hey!" he shouted at her, morning lethargy now fading away. "I was up and ready in ten minutes. That was pretty fast, compared to you!"

"Well, I'm a girl! And I got up earlier so that we wouldn't be late!" she shouted back.

"Stop it, you two!" The other occupant of the room, Sokka's father, commanded. The large, imposing man glared at his children sternly. "If you keep arguing, then we'll be late and it'll be both of your faults. Now come on, before morning traffic picks up." He paused for a moment, looking at Sokka before smirking. "You look like a ketchup bottle."

--

The buzzing sound of an alarm clock woke up Zuko Kaneshiro that morning. The young Japanese man was used to this routine, having come up with it and sticking to it ages before. Getting out of bed and moving to the center of his large room, the boy did a small set of calisthenics before heading to his closet. It took him only a moment to find a proper uniform. His closet was sorted for different occasions. Formal, school, semi-formal, casual, and so on.

After laying his clothes out for the morning, he headed to his bathroom, connected his room. After a quick shower, the boy hopped out, toweled off, and brushed his teeth, shaved, and quickly ran a horse brush through his short raven hair, the entire time staring into an even amber gaze.

After he finished with the trivialities of the morning routine, he dressed, put on a pair of designer loafers, and left his room, heading to his dining room. It was a large and elegant room, decorated with old, sensible, and valuable family antiques. In the center of the room ran a long table with many chairs, though at the moment only a girl about a year younger than Zuko's seventeen sat at the table, eating quietly. She wore a variant of the maroon outfit Zuko was, with the only difference being that she was wearing a black-and-maroon plaid skirt.

"Good morning, Azula," he greeted vaguely, sitting down across from her, where a breakfast of eggs, powdered toast, and sausage was waiting for him.

"Morning, brother," she said in a resigned tone. "Father already left. I assume you're giving me a ride to school?" He nodded quietly. That exchange was the only one they had that morning, with Azula following Zuko to the silver sports car that he had gotten as a gift from their father on his seventeenth birthday.

Zuko watched the scenery change dully as they made their way across town, the outside world not truly interesting him. He was vaguely aware of music playing from his stereo, some overly depressing song from a band with an equally depressing name his sister listened to, but once again, he wasn't paying attention. His mind was focused inward instead, going over what he had to do that day. He was an admitted introvert, and few people could argue the opposite. His mind was usually elsewhere, only coming back to the world around him when people addressed him or when it was necessary. Many people confronted him about this state of mind, and when asked, Zuko

Zuko's thoughts continued along this vein until at last the two were driving up the path to the prestigious Catherine Saint Preparatory Academy.

--

"Wow, it's huge!" Katara exclaimed as their father parked at the front entrance. "Are you sure it wasn't a fluke that you got in, Sokka?" The older boy glared at the twelve-year-old girl admonishingly.

"Katara, leave your brother alone," their father commanded. Sokka smiled appreciatively and opened the door of the SUV that they'd arrived in. Catherine Saint was one of the most prestigious schools in California. Located in Santa Barbara, the school was located in a fairly isolated area in one of the richer parts of the city. The only way one would be considered to be allowed into the confines of the school was if a family had money, or if the student was smart enough to gain a scholarship to pay for the high tuition fees of the school. After moving from Anchorage, Alaska, at the behest of the company Hakoda Kopanuk worked for, Sokka had taken the entrance exam for the school on a whim. In an odd twist of fate, Sokka had gotten high enough marks that the school had sent a letter of acceptance as well as a notification that his tuition would be paid in full by scholarship, if he so chose to attend. Proud of his child, Hakoda had urged the boy to take up this opportunity.

And now was the day he would see if he would live up to and deserve this opportunity. Getting out of the car, Sokka walked to the front doors and entered, ready for almost anything.


	2. Encounters

Warmth and darkness enveloped him like a cocoon

"Name?"

"Sokka Kopanuk." A moment passed as the receptionist typed the name into the computer system.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm not getting a match," she told him. Sokka sighed loudly, trying not to get frustrated.

"Did ya spell it right?" he asked. "S-O-K-K-A K-O-P-A-N-U-K." The receptionist blushed slightly before typing in the revised information.

"Here it is. Sorry for the inconvenience," she told him. Sokka merely rolled his eyes. "Just give me one moment as I print out a copy of your class schedule." Awkward silence fell on the two as the schedule began printing. Sokka started playing with the pen lying on the oaken counter separating the two apart, before the door burst open.

In came a young man with short chestnut brown hair cut sensibly short. His skin was a light brown color, not nearly as dark as Sokka's skin. A short goatee hung from his chin, making the young man appear much older than he was. His slightly square face was fixed with a look of determination. "Is the headmistress in?" he asked the moment he was standing next to Sokka.

"Haru, you know you can't just come in here. You need to have-."

"Yeah, I know. I have to get a note from my professor or wait until school is over. It's useless doing that. None of my teachers excuse me from class, and the Headmistress is never available after school," the boy, Haru, said.

"Good. I don't need to repeat myself, then. You can try making an appointment with-."

"No, never mind," Haru sighed. "Just…tell her that I'm looking for her, I guess." He turned and started walking out of the office.

"Haru, wait," the receptionist called out. Haru turned around, curious. The receptionist gestured towards Sokka, who'd been watching the exchange in confusion. "This is Sokka Cocoanut. He-."

"Kopanuk."

"Right. He's a new student who just transferred to the school. According to this," she waved the newly-printed schedule for them to see, "he has the same homeroom as you do. Do you mind showing him to his locker and then taking him to class?"

Haru looked at Sokka, who gave a tentative smile, to the woman. "I guess," he sighed as Sokka took his schedule from her. "C'mon, let's get going."

The two left the office, with Sokka looking in amusement at the generic plush decorations of the school. A long carpet covered the hardwood floor of the first floor halls, the wood-paneled walls decorated with paintings and trophy cases every so often.

"So, your name is Sokka," Haru said conversationally. "You don't hear a name like that often."

"It's Yupik," Sokka informed the other.

"Say what?" Haru turned around and looked at him in confusion.

"Yupik," he repeated. "It's a branch of the Inuit tribes."

"No shit? You're an Eskimo, then?" Haru asked, genuinely interested. Sokka shuddered at the term.

"Yeah, I am," he replied in a strained tone.

"Well, welcome to the Lower Forty-Eight states," Haru said. "I'm Haru Kobayashi, by the way." Sokka shook his hand before the two started walking again. Haru began talking again as they moved. "Welcome to Catherine Saint Prep, Santa Barbara's premier school for rich snobs. Feel free to marvel at the offspring of the affluent try and play gown-up. In this edition, we have the world of Pretty White Kids with Problems. I'm sorry to say that you yourself have been sucked up into this world the moment you left the office this morning. Wallow in it."

"You're certainly a happy camper," Sokka commented dryly.

Haru waved the comment off. "Give it a month. You'll feel the same way. Here's your locker." Sokka took out the books he needed before throwing his backpack into the locker. Haru motioned with his head and the two headed off to class. They stopped in front of a door with a frosted glass window and the name **PROF. ECKERT **stamped onto it. Haru opened the door, just as the bell rang out.

"Mr. Kobayashi, why are you just barely entering my classroom?" An elderly man, barely coming up to Sokka's shoulder, inquired.

"Sorry, Eckert," Haru said politely. "I stopped by the office this morning and was asked to show this new student to class." He gestured at Sokka, who waved congenially.

"We'll see about that," Professor Eckert muttered. To Sokka, he said, "Young man, if you'll please show me your schedule." Sokka nodded, handing the slip of paper to the man. Eckert read the paper carefully, going over the form carefully. "Very well," he said at last, handing the paper back to him. "Congratulations on your acceptance into the academy. Mr. Kobayashi, please take your seat." Haru nodded and went to his desk. To Sokka, he gestured, in order to have the class give their attention.

"Class, this is our newest student, Soccer Kodak," he began.

"Sokka Kopanuk."

"Yes. Why don't you introduce yourself?" Eckert asked. Sokka nodded and turned to the class. He scanned each of their faces, some looking at him curiously, while other just gave that dead, fish-eyed stare of someone not interested in the current subject at hand.

"Well, like I said, my name's Sokka Kopanuk. I'm from Anchorage, Alaska, and just moved down to Santa Barbara a month or two ago. I'm seventeen, going on eighteen, and hope to get to know you guys better." He finished then. Someone clapped sarcastically, and Sokka was shown his seat.

--

Dragons and samurai danced a waltz of battle across the notebook paper in front of Zuko. The young man had finished his work some time ago, and was now just waiting for the bell to ring. At last the moment came, and the amber-eyed boy made a beeline for the door. It was lunch time, and he wanted to get to the cafeteria before the good food was gone.

"Hey, Zuko!" Someone called out to him. Turning around, Zuko saw that it was a young man with unruly brown hair, brushed only enough so that the hair wasn't sticking out too much. A toothpick was sticking out of his mouth, which was fixed into a smirk. It was his friend, Gerald, though most people called him by his nickname, Jet. Zuko nodded in acknowledgement as he neared. "Me and some of the guys were gonna go down to the beach later on. I was thinking, that after you drop off your sister, that you and maybe that chick that's had her eye on you could come down, too."

"Mai?" Zuko asked. "Why would I want to take her?"

"Well, first of all, she's hot," Jet told him.

"Then you take her."

"She's not interested. I asked already."

"I'll think about it," Zuko said hesitantly. Jet grinned and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"You're really great. I'll go tell Longshot and the others later."

"Where do you guys come up with these nicknames?"

"I told you, bud. You'd had to have been there to understand."

Zuko shook his head and walked into the cafeteria. Jet started rambling then, and with practiced ease, Zuko shut the chattering out of his mind. He'd gotten good at that since he met Jet, especially since the other did it often. Sometimes he wondered why he even-

"OW!" A shock of pain hit Zuko as something large slammed into him in the back. He stumbled forward, falling into Jet. Spinning around, he saw a young boy, around his age or younger, getting himself off the floor. He had dark skin and an odd hairdo. Large blue eyes look looked up at him as the boy smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry about that. I wasn't watching where-."

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, IDIOT?!" Zuko yelled. Introverted he was, but the Japanese boy also possessed a short fuse. Unfortunately for the person now looking in confusion and fear, he was now the focus of this fact.

"Well, you see, I was running from th-this guy I know, and, well, I wasn't watching where I was going." He looked like he was going to explain himself more, but Zuko grabbed him by the jacket front and pulled him close.

"You better make sure that next time, you're watching where you're going," he threatened in a low voice. He pushed the boy away and turned back around in line. The kid stumbled before turning around, rubbing the spot where Zuko had grabbed him. Jet glared at him until he was out of sight.

"Honestly, the nerve of some people," Jet muttered to himself.

"Jet?" Zuko asked.

"Hm?"

"I'll be there."

--

Sokka waited on the front steps of the school for his father, sulking to himself. His first day had been terrible. Except for the times that he'd crossed paths with the sarcastic Haru, most of the people at the school had generally acted like snobs or pricks, most of the time a mixture of the two. He was beginning to seriously wonder if he was the only one there that had been accepted on talent alone.

Sokka got up as his dad's car came ambling up the school drive and got in the car, sullen. Almost immediately, Hakoda picked up on the boy's feelings. "Something wrong, Sokka?" he asked.

Sokka sighed and nodded. "It's this stupid school. It's nothing but rich snobs. No one seems to actually have a thought that isn't superficial."

"It's your first day, Sokka. All you're going to see is the stereotypes. Give it time. I'm sure you'll find someone that you like. Besides, guess who came down from Anchorage to see us?"

Sokka looked up in hope. "Uncle Bato?" Hakoda nodded, causing Sokka to shout in happiness. Bato was a guide to tourists who wanted to go exploring outside of the town of Anchorage into the Chugach Mountains. Oftentimes he'd return with gifts or oddities he'd found in the mountains and show it off to his family. "Come on, let's go!"


	3. Across the Universe

**A/N: Hey guys. We're up to chapter three now! Kind of a long one here, about two pages more than I usually write for fanfiction, but hey, I was in a rambling mood while writing it. Anyway, like always, enjoy the fic, stroke my ego, review, have fun. To the person who pointed out the Yupik/Inupiat thing, you're right. I had a friend named Jon, though, who was Yupik, and hated being called an Eskimo. I got used to calling him Inuit.**

Fire danced wildly in the evening chill, giving the people gathered around it a comfortable feeling of warmth. Things were balanced pretty evenly, as cool winds moved from the ocean, so if one became uncomfortable, all they had to do was move a little in order to dull the heat. Zuko, Jet, their friends Longshot and Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak's sister Suki, and one of Suki's friends, whose name Zuko never cared to remember, were all gathered around the fire.

As usual, Jet's mouth was running like a motorcycle engine, dominating the conversation that he and Suki were having, something about weapon fighting. Both of them were enrolled in different martial arts, Jet in Taekwondo, and Suki in Aikido, both very different styles. He wasn't really paying attention to it. Usually, he probably would have joined in on the conversation, perhaps even rival the amount of speech coming from Jet at that moment, but his mind was elsewhere.

"You ok, Zuko?" Zuko looked up to see Suki looking at him in concern, as well as the others gathered around. "I mean, you're usually quiet, but you usually talk somewhat when you're around us." Blushing slightly, he nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about some things," he told them.

"Your dad?" Jet asked sympathetically.

"A little bit," he affirmed. "There are some other things, too. Azula, school, that kind of stuff."

"Yeah, I heard about that kid that hit you during lunch. What'd you do about it?" Pipsqueak asked. Pipsqueak was a large Japanese kid, one of the linemen at Catherine Saint, and a longtime friend of Zuko's. The two had grown up together, their parents being good friends throughout the two's youth. His real name was Hiroaki, but after he'd met Longshot and Jet, he picked up his current nickname, and it stuck. All of them refused to tell him where they got the nicknames, saying only, at their most humoring moments, that it would only blow his mind.

"Nothing. Just warned the kid not to do it again or I'd kick his ass," he told him.

"In not so nice a way," Jet added in.

"Is it that new kid?" Suki inquired.

"Probably," Zuko mused. "Never seen him before. He looked like an Indian."

"Lanky kid, blue eyes?" she asked. Zuko nodded. "Yeah, that's the new kid. We have Phys ED together. He seems nice enough."

"Seemed clumsy to me," he commented.

"Yeah, he is, but I swear, he's a genius. We were playing basketball, and the coach made him captain of his team. It was nothing but all the dorks and kids that aren't athletic. They beat us 15-8. I asked him how he did it. All he said was 'basic strategy.'"

Jet snorted. "Now that's embarrassing."

"Shut up, Jet!" she shouted at him. "I'll kick _your_ ass."

"Oh no!" he said, mock-cowering. "She'll unleash her magical martial art of counterattacks on me! Save me, Pipsqueak!" Longshot snorted in laughter.

"_Anyway,_ Zuko, that kid doesn't really mean any harm," she told him. "It was probably just an accident."

"I know," he said softly. "I'm not even really mad at him. I was in sort of a bad mood, anyway." Suki nodded empathetically and leaned back to stare at the sky. "On the bright side," he continued, "My uncle's gonna be coming through, soon."

"No way!" Pipsqueak cut in, looking excited. "Uncle Iroh's the greatest! Call me when he comes in, ok?" Zuko nodded an affirmation. "And bout your dad, just try not thinking about him. If he's gonna act like a dick to you, just ignore him."

"Alright," he said. "Now, who's hungry?"

--

Sokka woke up the next morning before his sister came in to wake him. Lazily he went through his morning routine, actually finishing before his father and sister did, much to everyone's surprise. He talked with Bato for a bit, who'd slept on the couch that night, before the other two were ready. A short car ride later and they were at the school, Sokka slowly getting out. As he walked up the steps, he was ambushed by Haru.

"Hey, man. You're in time for breakfast today," he said. "Come on." Sokka shrugged and followed him in. The moved to the cafeteria, where a short line was formed for breakfast, cinnamon oatmeal, a banana, and a muffin.

"Wow, you guys actually get real food," he mused as they moved through the line and to an empty table.

"Told you, rich kid school," he informed. "They don't want the poor little rich boys and girls complaining to their parents about anything, because they all have good lawyers." Sokka wasn't paying attention, however. The moment he sat down, he began eating at a quickened pace, much to the disgust of the majority of the students in the cafeteria.

"Who's the new kid, Haru?" Sokka looked up curiously to see a young Asian girl, possibly in her mid-teens, looking at him in mild interest. Her hair was done into a sort of beehive style. Her eyes had a mischievous glint in them.

"Sokka," he told her. "He's a new kid. Sokka, this is Toph." He nodded a greeting.

"Sokka?" she asked. "That's a weird name."

"Like Toph's any better?" he questioned.

"Better than Sokka," she retorted, though she was grinning. "So, Sokka, go out for sports?"

"Nope," he replied. "Not anything they have here, anyway."

"Damn," she cursed. "Well, if you're interested, the wrestling team is looking for more people. But, it'd be a lost cause, signing you up, anyway."

"Wrestling team?" he asked. "Isn't that a guy's sport?"

Toph sighed. "Not you, too. That is _so _sexist. They have women wrestlers in pro wrestling."

"Yeah, fighting other women," Haru said.

"Only recently," she told him. "Torri Wilson, Trish Stratus, and Chyna all fought against guys in the old days. Chyna was even the first female heavyweight champion. _And_ she tag-teamed with Triple H. Why can't _I_ fight other guys? They don't even have a girl's team."

"So why are you recruiting?" Sokka asked.

"I filed a lawsuit against the school about their sexist double-standard," she said. "They caved, naturally. I can hold my own against _any _guy."

"Dyke," Haru muttered.

"Fag."

"Butch."

"Bitch." Both were grinning.

"So what are you doing after school?" he asked Toph.

"Nothing really. Why?" she asked.

"I was thinking we could hang out at my place or get something to eat," he told her.

"Don't you have that drama club thing after school?" she asked him.

"I meant after that," he told her. "You know, get some time to change out of the uniform, probably get your bass and we could jam."

"I don't see why not," she said. "Is Sir Eats-A-Lot coming, too?" Sokka looked at her in confusion, wondering who she could be talking about.

"I don't know," Haru replied. "Sokka, you wanna come?" Sokka looked up, surprised.

"Uh…sure, I guess," he told him. "I'll have to call my dad first."

"That's fine," Haru said.

"So," Sokka began as the conversation lulled. "You said something about a drama club?"

"Yeah," Haru said, looking at him with interest. "You interested?"

"Yeah, kind of," Sokka admitted.

"Oh, come on!" Toph practically shouted then. "Don't tell me you're a queer, too."

"What? No!" Sokka exclaimed, embarrassed as a few people looked their way. "Wait, what do you mean, 'too'?"

"I'm gay," Haru said then.

"Seriously?" he asked, surprised.

"Oh, totally," Haru replied, his voice suddenly becoming lispy and overly dramatic. "You couldn't tell? I stho love the cock." Toph laughed then. Haru's voice returned to normal. "Just because I don't have bleached hair or act like a lisping slut doesn't mean I'm not. You got a problem with it?"

"No," Sokka said. "Just surprised, is all."

"Don't ever pick up anything from the floor with him nearby," Toph whispered conspiratorially. Sokka laughed then.

"Oh shit!" Haru said, looking at his watch while standing up. "Come on, Sokka. You can make fun of me with Toph later. Eckert wants his students in his room before the bell rings. Let's go."

--

That day was a free period during Phys ED, meaning the students could do as they wished. Most played basketball or went outside to talk while walking around the track. Sokka, however, decided to sit on the bleachers while everyone did their routine. He was thinking about what Haru had told him about the drama club. They met twice a week, and were currently deciding what they should do for their fall performance.

His thoughts were interrupted, however, when an Asian girl with a full face and short chestnut hair walked up to him. "Sokka, right?" she called out as she walked up the bleachers. He nodded, turning his attention to her. "Nice to meet you. I'm Suki."

"Yeah, we talked yesterday," he reminded her.

"I remember. I was amazed by how you coached your team the other day, especially since you barely knew them," she said.

"Thanks," he replied.

"You should try out for a team, or at least ask a coach to put you in a management position," she offered.

"No thanks," he said. "Team sports aren't my thing."

"Really?" she asked. "That's a shame. What types of sports do you like?"

"Martial arts. Track. That kind of stuff."

"Really? That's neat! Do you know any martial arts?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "My dad had me and my sister taught Krav Maga."

"Why?" she asked. "People try kidnapping you or something?"

"What?!" he exclaimed. "Why would someone do that?"

"You know, ransom, political power, that kind of thing."

Sokka snorted. "Yeah, right. My family is middle class. Only an idiot would try ransoming us. He just wanted us to know how to defend ourselves."

"Hm," Suki mused. "I guess so. So, I'm sorry about Zuko."

"Who?" he asked.

"That kid who threatened you yesterday at lunch," she told him.

"Oh," he replied. "That wasn't anything. Sure, it as a little bit of an overreaction for him to have been the way he was, but hey, let him be an angry jerk."

She laughed then. "Alright. You're pretty cool, Sokka. I'm gonna go now, my friends are wondering why I've abandoned them for the Mexican."

"I'm not Mexican," he told her.

"I know. Just anyone who isn't black, white, or Asian is Mexican to them. I'll talk to you later." She smiled and left.

--

Zuko walked the halls alone after school, headed for the small class reserved by the drama club after school. Azula had gone home with one of her friends, and none of his friends knew that he was heading to the drama club meeting. Jet would never let him live down the fact that he was now headed to one of the designated "fag zones" of the school. Jet was a good friend, he admitted, but there were times when he just wanted to punch Jet in his face and be allowed to live his own life.

At last arriving, he opened the door of the classroom to several people around his age, as well as two teachers, the sponsors of the drama club. Quietly, he went to a corner of the room and waited for the club to come into session. A few people came in after him, until at last, two people came in. One was the boy Haru he shared Earth Science with, and the kid he'd run into the other day.

"Alright, everyone's here now," one of the professors, a woman named Judy Blanch, said. "And what's this? Someone new?" she looked in the direction of the boy who'd just arrived. "And what's your name, young man?"

"Sokka Kopanuk, ma'am," he told her.

"Oh my," she said, beaming. "You're Alaskan, then?"

"Yes ma'am," he told her. "How'd you know?"

"I'm a history professor, dear. Names like yours appear in history books around the time that America annexed Alaska from Russia. Now, are you auditing the club, or are you joining?" she asked.

"Joining, ma'am," Sokka replied.

"Very well. Take a seat." He nodded and sat in a chair not far from Zuko's, next to Haru.

"Alright, then," Professor Blanch began. "We need to decide on a play we are going to do. We have two weeks more until auditions and rehearsals begin, but we need to come up with something before that deadline. Now, any suggestions?"

"How about a _Streetcar Named Desire_?" a girl called out, to much booing by the majority of the students.

"_Grease?_"

"_Cats!_"

"NO!" shouted Haru, causing Sokka to laugh and Zuko to smile slightly.

"Got a better idea, then, Haru?" a brunette girl asked, looking too much like Dita von Tees for Zuko's taste. It was Lisa, one half of a pair of twins, the other named Lorraine.

"Yeah," he said. "The _Rocky Horror Show._"

"Out of the question," Professor Blanch said, though she was smiling at the suggestion.

"How about _Across the Universe?_" Zuko inquired. Everyone turned around to look at the boy. Those were the first words he'd uttered since joining the club, and it'd shocked nearly everybody to hear it.

"I'm not familiar with that one," Professor Blanch said.

"It's awesome!" Sokka interjected then. "It's a musical about the Vietnam War, and these two kids Jude and Lucy who fall in love! All the songs are Beatles songs." People began putting in their votes of approval then.

"Yeah, I saw that one," Lisa said then. "It was so romantic, but kind of long."

"So was _Romeo and Juliet_," he reminded.

"How about this?" Professor Blanch inquired. "I'll rent a copy of the play, and see if it's suitable. If I approve of it, we'll do this play. Otherwise, we'll do something else."

"Good job," Sokka told Zuko with a smile. Zuko smiled back.


End file.
